Mines
Mines are explosive devices that are dropped from a ship to damage or destroy a pursuing ship. Mines persist for several seconds while they try to home in on an enemy target, and will explode if they get within four meters of a ship. It is possible to shoot a mine and detonate it before it gets to you; this is somewhat easier than shooting down incoming missiles, and commonly occurs while pursuing enemy ships. Don't be confused: it's possible to shoot an enemy's mine and confuse the resulting explosion for the destruction of the enemy! Mines are noteworthy in that they do not have a "Class" like guns and missiles do; any ship can mount any Mine Dropper, assuming the pilot has one. As some mine droppers can be salvaged from certain wrecks, it's possible to equip some mine droppers early. However, as you cannot purchase ammunition for such a mine dropper until you reach the character level to purchase the mine dropper itself (FYI, in the case of the Ripper mine below, it's level 30), it would be wise to save any ammunition salvaged for above-cap mine droppers for special occasions! It's also worth noting that as mines go up in power, so does their ammo cost. Further, the bigger the mine, the less overall bang for the buck. Still, since you can only have one mine dropper with a fifty mine ammo capacity, you may just want all the bang you can carry, and worry about the costs later! Mine Droppers by Level M433 "Drone" Mine Dropper The Drone is simple and effective, detonating and eviscerating its targets within a respectable kill radius. Given its relatively low cost and availability throughout Sirius, this mine dropper is by and large considered to be an old and faithful standby weapon. *Where to Buy: Liberty, New London or Manchester systems HM-a "Seeker" Homing Mine Dropper Despite the fact that all mines can draw closer to their targets, the Seeker mine has advanced "seeking abilities" that increase its likelihood to deliver its maximum impact. There is a decrease in explosive payload as compared to traditional mines, however the improvement in the drop-to-hit ratio has made this a very popular secondary weapon. *Where to Buy: Liberty, Bretonia, Kusari, Independent Worlds, Omega 3 system M468 "Wardog" Mine Dropper Though similar to the Drone in most respects, the step up in explosive payload and destructive capacity make the Wardog worth the extra cost. *Where to Buy: Liberty, Bretonia, Kusari, Independent Worlds, some Border Worlds HM-b "Razor" Homing Mine Dropper Though quite similar to the Seeker in theory, the Razor enjoys significant improvements in maneuverability and payload capacity. The Razor is probably the most widely used homing mine in existence today. *Where to Buy: Liberty, Bretonia, Kusari, Independent Worlds, Rheinland, Border Worlds, Edge Worlds M472 "Tadpole" Mine Dropper The Tadpole's revolutionary explosive mixture and shielded detonation components make it one of the most affordable and reliable mines of this category. *Where to Buy: Bretonia, Kusari, Independent Worlds, Rheinland, Border Worlds, Edge Worlds HM-d "Driller" Homing Mine Dropper Not being satisfied with the "seeking" and damage capacities of the Razor, the Driller was developed. This mine is more powerful in every way than the Razor and yet is still affordable, making it the accepted "gold standard" in the industry. *Where to Buy: Kusari, Independent Worlds, Rheinland, Border Worlds, Edge Worlds M479 "Swatter" Mine Dropper With more payload and the addition of no less than seventeen layers of hull-penetrating carbonized shrapnel, the Swatter is considered by most to be one of the deadliest mines available in Sirius. *Where to Buy: Edge Worlds, Omega 5, Tau 37, Freital Base HM-g "Cutter" Homing Mine Dropper Based on an entirely new formula, the destructive capacity of the Cutter rivals that of any other standard mine. In addition to this, the "seeking technology" behind the Cutter has been entirely re-engineered, enabling it to now deliver a larger, more accurate and deadlier blow to its target. *Where to Buy: Leon Base, Freeport 5, Freeport 9 M485 "Screamer" Mine Dropper Based on a new anti-ship technology, the Screamer mine dropper releases a deadly wafer that is hard to see, hard to avoid and even harder to survive. Tests in the field and actual combat records demonstrate this weapons repeated superiority and effectiveness. *Where to Buy: Planet Malta, Planet Crete, Tripoli Shipyard HM-i "Ripper" Homing Mine Dropper The Ripper combines the most advanced "seeking technology" available along with an enormous charge and array of anti-ship elements to embody one of the most feared weapons in any arsenal. The Ripper is quite possibly the nastiest and most lethal support weapon in Sirius. *Where to Buy: This launcher is only available by salvaging the Outcast Fighter located at Sector F4 in the Omicron Alpha system Category:Weapons Category:Equipment